Guardians of the Planet
by Electronic-Star
Summary: After a horrorfic blow of fate two former soldiers meet each other, to protect the planet together. But then they'll figure out that Shin-Ra isn't the only one who harms the planet...CloudxAerith; HopexLightning; SnowxSerah
1. Prolog

**A.N.** Here's another new ff. I got the idea as I made an rpg with two friends. It's, as you can see, a VII/XIII crossover. Hope you like it!

**Disclaimer** – I don't own Final Fantasy

**Guardians of the Planet**

Chapter 1: Prolog

_**Cloud**_

It's been a while since I moved to Midgar. I was born in Nibelheim and grew up there. Cloud Strife is my name, I have blonde, spiky hair and blue eyes and the reason I moved is because...I wanted to join SOLDIER. Although since the day I joined, I was still an infantryman. But I tried hard to be a 1st Class SOLDIER. My best friend Zack was one and he told me that I'm gonna make it too, but I wasn't so sure.  
In the studies I was told that I wasn't mentally capable to become a SOLDIER...This has something to do with it, because they injected Mako to SOLDIER to make them even stronger and we have to be physically and also mentally tough enough, or else we get a Mako poisoning.

That means I had to somehow be mentally stronger to be SOLDIER. But how would that work? Well, the second reason why I left Nibelheim is that I wanted to go away from there. Of course it wasn't easy to leave my mother alone there, but I couldn't stand it anymore. Everyone in my age expelled me, so I couldn't call this place my "home" anymore. Even though there was still someone I liked, but I displaced these feelings. She's never liked me anyway.

Anyway, the training here, in the Shin-Ra headquarters in sector 0, was quite exhausting. Everyone else didn't have a problem with that and I hated myself for my weakness! Zack said that this is the completely wrong way to hate myself, I couldn't help it.

But after he had told me this a thousand times, I started to listen to him and tried to straighten things out with myself. It worked pretty well even though I still had some doubts sometimes... Luckily, Zack was always there for me to help me and after another test they told me that I'm on the right way to become a SOLDIER. So I trained on and with Zacks help and I made amazing progress an even in the most dangerous missions I made a better figure than back then.

I think that I definitely would've given up, if I never met Zack. I was infinitely grateful to him and told him to pay him back for his help, but he always replied: „Nah, that's why friends are there for." The day as I finally became a SOLDIER 3rd Class was probably the happiest day of my life. Okay, 3rd Class is not THAT great, but it is the first step to become 1st Class. On that day Zack wanted to celebrate with me. Although I don't really like something like this, he insisted on it.

He even wanted to hook me up with a few girls in the bar...It didn't work out, I wasn't really interested in someone. Zack had a girlfriend at the time. He often told me about her but he never told me her name. Mostly, we were stopped at this part. All I know that she's "super cute" and has "lovely eyes". I always was half listening, as he talked about her, but I've heard that she always wears a pink ribbon on her braid. Zack gave it to her as they first met.

Anyway, since that day I often went to a mission with Zack. That was actually pretty good, the bad side was...I'm travel-sick...Zack was the only one who knew about it, but I think the others who travelled with us noticed it too. With Zack's help I made rapid progress and became soon a SOLDIER 2nd Class. The training became harder too, and I thought the training as an infantryman was tough...After a few months I finally became a SOLDIER 1st Class. Thanks to Zack again.

That was the beginning of the end. Everyone who worked for Shin-Ra saw my progress and were deeply puzzled. Especially the weird scientist Hojo. One day he wanted me to meet him in his lab to perform some tests. I thought, these are the normal tests, but I was totally wrong. These "tests" were like certain scientific experiments. He even gave me even more Mako, after which I was suffering from Mako poisoning. The President exhorted the scientists to not lay a hand on his strongest fighters, because I was bedridden for several months before I recovered.

About a year later the media told about a "Nibelheim massacre", it's also called the "Nibelheim incident". The best SOLDIER, Sephiroth, was send with 3 other SOLDIER members to Nibelheim to inspect a reactor. But then he suddenly went crazy and burned the whole village. I heard there were no survivors, so that means that Mom and Tifa...They also said that Sephiroth was killed in the reactor, which is pretty unreliable. A few years passed and I tried to accept everything, but I couldn't...and even though Zack wanted me to stay, I left SOLDIER. Not only because of these experiments, but also because of the job in general.

So I turned my back to the Shin-Ra, and continued on as a mercenary. I didn't know at the time what else to do. Zack and I met before and were still best friends. However, we met more often, as he told me that he and his girlfriend broke up. No idea who had dumped whom, but of course I took care of him. One day I woman was looking for me. She had long pink hair and had blue eyes shining just like me. I thought she was a SOLDIER, but she said she was a member of the Guardian Corps and was called Lightning.

She'd quit and sought a new job and when she heard of me, she wanted to work with me.I accepted it and so we made together multiple jobs in one day, the most dangerous together course, and earned more money than we had dreamed. We weren't really that different. We were both strong fighters, were infected with Mako and were more silent than talkative. About a year later Tifa joined us too. The one I once liked and thought was killed during the Nibelheim Incident. She said her master saved and so she moved here to Midgar. Since we three hated Shin-Ra, we became resistance fighters and called us after the group Avalanche. Our purpose was to protect the planet from the reactors and Shin-Ra, so that the planet can live a long time.

* * *

_**Lightning**_

My name is Lightning Farron. Of course, Lightning is not my real name, but I discarded my real name a long time ago. My home's called Bodhum and is a coastal city like Costa Del Sol. I lived there, since I can remember with my little sister Serah. Although I'm a few years older than her, we look so alike, that everyone mistakes us for twins. Our similarities are the pink hair color and deep blue eyes. Our characters couldn't be more different thogh. Serah was always happy and enjoyed being with people, whereas I'm serious, and was rather be alone. There were several reasons why I gave up my life in Bodhum and moved to Midgar... The first reason is because of my parents.

It was during the war, when it happened. Unfortunately, we were at the wrong time, in the wrong place. At that time I was only thirteen years old. Dad had taken an extra free day in order to do something with the family, so we drove to North Corel to the Gold Saucer. Though, we didn't know that Shin-Ra soldiers raged there. All I picked up on this situation was that a dangerous threat was there and everyone should be evacuated.

When they said that we should all be sent to Grand Pulse, we were scared. Grand Pulse was an untouched piece of land that was completely cut off from the outside world. It was a huge continent with untouched nature and beauty, that was what everyone told me, but it's also dangerous there. If you can't fight, you wouldn't survive a week there, because there were many dangerous monsters that you never get to see here around. This place was also the probably warmest and most tropical spot on the planet.

So my parents refused to come along and fled with me and Serah, but we ran into a dead end. Fortunately, my parents found a small shelter, but it fit for me and Serah, while they had to face the soldiers. When the soldiers finally caught up, they shot without hesitation at my parents. They murdered our parents in cold blood, just because they didn't want to go to Pulse. I kept shutting up Serahs eyes and ears, so that she didn't have to see or hear the horror that raged out of our hiding place. In an attempt to protect Serah, I was even smeared with a little blood. The blood of my parents...We stayed so long in this hiding place, until I was sure that the Shin-Ras soldiers moved away. Serah was now asleep peacefully, but I couldn't get these horrible images out of my head.

After some time, Serah asked me where our parents are. I told her a lie that they had to do something, and that we should enjoy ourselves in the amusement park. She believed every word and I was glad that she hadn't noticed what happened. Of course she was sad that our parents would rather do something else than be with us, but that was better than to tell her the horrible truth.

She asked me again, on the same evening, where they are and I only told her that I heard on the radio of a car accident and that a married couple was killed. This was the truth, but I told her that they'd been our parents. Although it's difficult for two children, we traveled back to Bodhum. Fortunately, friendly people took good care of us, but I didn't trust anyone there, we were really sad and realization hit us that we now had to take care of ourselves. Even though I sometimes wanted to cry like Serah, I stayed strong and comforted her. Since that day I was calling me Lightning. I thought, if I give myself a different name I would change who I am.

To protect Serah even better I broke up with school, when I was old enough and signed up in the military. They called themselves the Guardian Corps, short GC. Unlike Shin-Ras SOLDIER they fought to protect the people. My boss Lieutenant Amador took care of me and Serah since then, and treated us like his own daughters sometimes. As I learned discipline and how to fight with weapons, Serah continued on her normal live. On my twenty-first birthday, however, everything changed. Until then I didn't know that the GC and SOLDIER fought together sometimes, but as I had to tell Lt. Amador, on my first day in the GC, my reasons why I wanted to join, he tried to keep Shin-Ra away from me Serah.

To this day I am grateful to him. But Shin-Ra got a message about an exceptionally strong fighter and I was also immediately sought out. Serah was fortunately not home, so I could tell the two Turks, who were in front of my door, that I doesn't to belong to Shin-Ra. Though, they kept bothering me and told me if I wouldn't cooperate, they would proceed with harsher methods.

The only reason why I said yes was that I didn't Serah get in trouble and because they'd told me a lie. They said in Midgar are also GC members and that I would serve solely to the GC.  
The second reason why I wanted to leave Bodhum freely was that I wanted to start somewhere anew.

I didn't want to live in a place that reminds me of my dead parents and Midgar seemed to be a good place to forget the past. Serah wasn't very enthusiastic at first, of course, she wanted to study after all. I told her that we both have better chances in Midgar than in Bodhum, but then she came up with the argument "And what about my friends?" around the corner, whereupon I replied that she would find new friends.

And so we moved from the beautiful coastal city in a big city. We immediately looked for a university where Serah could study and, as expected, she came on the first day with her new friend home. She called herself Oerba Dia Vanille and was similar to Serah, quite happily and cheery. So much so that it was annoying...but I tried to think more positively. On my first day I was informed that I had to go to the Shin-Ra building. I would rather eat tacks than going to their base, but I had no other choice. As I expected, but only in my hate-filled dreams, the Shin-Ra guys abducted me in a laboratory and tied my hands and foots. They asked me how I could be so stupid to fall for this cheap trick. Of course it was only a trap to get me into their hands...

These guys had captivated me so tight, that I could hardly move, and then they made room for their boss. An odd-looking scientist. On a name tag, I could saw his name, Hojo. He looked at me attentively, even groped me, before he made some tests on me.

The first were not so bad, so I almost fancied that it was just a routine check, but then it got worse. He used some instruments, which were like torture equipments, used electric shocks and even injected me Mako! In another experiment, he had to untie me and I took advantage of this opportunity and struck him instantly KO. When I broke out of the damn lab, SOLDIER tried to stop me, but I was much stronger than they and the Mako let my strength grow.

So I fled from the building and ran home. Luckily, I told them not where I lived, or they would probably harm Serah...When I got home was Serah already there. Her friend was probably already gone. She asked me how my first day was and why I'm so late back and when she saw my shining eyes, she went silent. The gleam in the eyes was a SOLDIER trademark. Without waiting for her next question, I said that the GC are working with Mako, to not cause her any worry.

Serah didn't believe me. She knew that the GC has nothing to do with Mako and wondered whether I might have joined SOLDIER. I, of course, said no and told her some excuse, how I came in contact with Mako. She still didn't believe me, but asked to no longer. One day as I walked through the town to get a new job somewhere, I kept hearing things about a mercenary who takes any job, whether hazardous or not.

Then I looked for him and wanted to join him because fighting is indeed the only thing I'm good at. The mercenary, known as Cloud Strife, accepted my help, and from then on we were partners. About a year later a girl joined us as well her names was Tifa.

Cloud and she knew each other obviously since childhood and since we all hated Shin-Ra we became resistance fighters called ourselves Avalanche. Our purpose was to protect the planet from the reactors and Shin-Ra, so that the planet can live a long time. Serah still doesn't know what I do for a living, because I just told her I quit at the GC. It's a good thing that she doesn't know it. All she knows is that I work with Cloud and Tifa, she doesn't need to know more.


	2. The Journey Begins

**A.N.** Here's chappy 2^^

**Guardians of the Planet**

Chapter 2: The Journey Begins

„Come on, guys! We're almost there!", called Lightning to Cloud and Tifa, as they ran straight through the Mako reactor 5. They recently had the idea to blow up the reactors to prevent that Shin-Ra sucks even more lifestream out of the planet. Tifa made sure that they got some time bombs while Lightning informed herself about them to sharpen and defuse the bombs. The reactor smelt of Mako and rust. The iron soil was already rusty, and it was quiet difficult to move forward as quickly as possible. Looks like, these Shin-Ra guys don't neglect the reactors at all...After they went through the little maze, they finally arrived the reactors core. „Give me the bomb.", ordered Lightning and held her hand out to Tifa. „Here." Tifa gave her the bomb and the pink-haired woman went closer to the core, placed the bomb and made it sharp. „Well, we have 10 minutes to get out of here."

„Then let's hurry.", said Cloud and ran with the two girls out of the reactor. Actually, they thought that it is more difficult. The reactor wasn't even guarded, it was way too easy. As they ran over a metal bridge, it suddenly broke under Cloud. He could hold onto the hanging end of the bridge section. „Cloud!", called Tifa, knelt down and stretched out his hand. „Take my hand!" Cloud tried to take her hand, but she was too far away. „I can't.", he said. „Go on!"

„But...!"

„Come on Tifa! Cloud will make it!"

„I won't leave him!", yelled Tifa, horrified that Lightning wants to leave him. „Lightning.", began Cloud while she gave him her attention. „Bring her out of here. I'll see you later." Lightning just nodded and lifted Tifa. „Until then.", she said as she carried Tifa on her shoulder outside, while she tried to free herself from her grip and called Clouds name. Cloud tried to climb up alone again, but then the reactor exploded and he let go quickly, to not die by the explosion. But he'll defiantly die from the fall... Lightning and Tifa left the reactor just in time before it exploded. Lightning ran further, to avoid being caught. Tifa had ended her struggle and, but now she cried bitterly. „Tifa!", shouted Lightning to her. „Pull yourself together, will you! Cloud isn't dead!"

„How do you know?", shouted Tifa back. „I just know it!" And then she brought the still crying Tifa to their secret hiding place in Sector 7, in the bar "7th Heaven".

„Helloo~!" Cloud slowly awoke, when he heard a voice calling to him. He knew that voice from somewhere, but he couldn't remember whom this voice belonged to. „Hellooo~!", called the voice again, while Cloud opened his eyes and saw a young woman, perhaps a little younger than himself, with bright green eyes, medium brown hair and an angelic face. „You're awake!", she said happily and smiled at him sweetly. All Cloud could do was to stare at her.

He had never seen anything so beautiful in his life. Now that his senses sharpened, he noticed that she wore a pink dress and her braid had a pink ribbon...a pink ribbon? „Am I...dead?", asked Cloud as he looked at his surroundings. The girl giggled and he only thought what a beautiful sound it had. „No, you're in a church in Sector 5.", she replied, amused. „You fell from the sky and almost me top of me. Gave me quiet a scare."

„...I fell down?", he asked. He hadn't really paid attention to her words, only the sound of her voice. „Yes." She giggled again. „The roof and the flowers must have cushioned your fall. You were really lucky."  
„...Flowers?" Cloud looked down and he actually sat in a small flowerbed in the middle of the church. „Oh..." he said, standing up quickly, but he try to not squash more flowers. Cloud got out of the flower bed and stood beside her. „I'm sorry...about the flowers.", he said nervously, while scratching his head.

„It's okay.", she replied with a smile. „The flowers are very resilient. I guess because this is a sacred place." Cloud looked at her again. He was sure that he'd seen her before somewhere. But where? And when? „Hey, do you remember me?", she asked, looking at him expectantly. She knew him too...And then he remembered. „Yes. You're the flower girl, right?" Right, he'd completely forgotten that he had seen shortly before their mission a flower girl in pink and beautiful eyes. „That's right. I'm glad that you remember. And thank you that for buying a flower."

Cloud nodded. This flower girl was so charming that he couldn't say no when she asked him if he wanted buy a flower. He had even given her a little more money than necessary, even if he didn't know why he did that... „No problem.", he said, and won back his coolness. „Oh, we haven't even introduced each other, have we? I'm Aerith Gainsborough." „Cloud Strife.", he said, and thought he could also say what he doing. On his job of course. Perhaps he would even get a new, charming client? „...I'm doing a little bit of everything. As long as the price is right, of course.", he said, and felt like really dumb for the last sentence. That sounded pretty arrogant and greedy for money. „Oh, I see. So a man for all seasons, huh?"

„Exactly." Then the two were silent for a while before Aerith began to speak. „Hey, Cloud?" She immediately got his undivided attention. „Have you ever been a bodyguard?" Cloud shook his head. „No."  
„Could you be my bodyguard?" He didn't know why she needed a bodyguard, but if she wanted it, he would even go to the end of the world. „That will cost you.", he replied in a teasing tone, after which she giggled and pretended to think. „Hmm...How about...when I go out with you once?", she asked, while Cloud was quite shocked by what she said. He never expected this. At the very thought of going out with her, he began to blush a slightest bit, so he turned away from her and nodded. „Okay.", he said as she looked at him with glittery eyes. „Thank you!"

„May I ask you why you want a bodyguard?", he asked, while Aerith avoided eye contact and turned her back to him. She was silent for a while before she looked over her shoulder at him and smiled at him teasingly. „You're not allowed to ask." Cloud said nothing. He did not expect her to say that. „Well then...uh, shall I take you somewhere? I have to go to Sector 7."

„Yes, take me home, okay?"

„Sure.", he said and nodded. In this moment a Turk and two infantrymen entered the church. Aerith and Cloud looked both shocked to the entrance. „Oh no, they've found me..."

* * *

In the meantime...

Lightning and Tifa finally arrived Sector 7 and Tifa had finally calmed down and could now run by herself to their secret hiding place. „Claire!" A cheerfully voice called out to them. They turned to the voices source and saw Lightning's little sister Serah ran on them. „Claire!", she called again, waving at Lightning. „Claire?", asked Tifa and raised an eyebrow. „Serah doing what you doing out here?", asked Lightning and went to her. „I just wanted to make a little walk.", replied the younger Farron and smiled happily at her big sister. „You'd better go home." Serah pouted. „Why?"

„It's too dangerous here.". said the older of the two, while looking around. They could mistake me with Serah...The very idea that Shin-Ra soldiers attest Serah instead of her was much Horrible everything else. „What's so dangerous out here? I run around her quite often."

„It is very dangerous! Haven't you heard the explosion?"

„Yeah, but..."

„That surely is a clear proof that it's dangerous here. So please go home." Serah looked down and turned away from her sister. „Well, I'm on my way...But come home quickly too, okay?"

„Sure." Then Serah went away. „Let's move on!", said Lightning and took the lead. „Who's Claire?", asked the black-haired girl, confused. „Nobody.", replied Lightning and went on. „Light, why aren't you talking with us about—?"

„Because it's none of your business.", interrupted Lightning. „But..."

„Tifa. Let me settle things my way. We have no time for this. Shin-Ra soldiers could emerge from every corner."

„...Yeah, right..." And then the two went on.

* * *

In the meantime...

„Oh no, they've found me...", mumbled Aerith and Cloud at the same time and looked at each other astonished. „Cloud, bring me home please.", said Aerith quietly, so that the Turk won't hear it. Cloud nodded and turned back to the enemies who went closer to the flower bed. Cloud was about to take the hilt of his sword, but Aerith held him by his arm. „No, don't fight! You'll ruin the flowers!", she said and pulled him along. „This way!" The red-haired Turk went into the flower bed and turned back to the infantrymen that were probably waiting for a command. „What is it? After them!", he shouted and went toward the rear exit. „By the way...", he continued. „Don't step on the flowers."

„But you already stepped on them, Reno!"

„Yes, they're ruined!", said the two infantrymen. In this time Cloud and Aerith climbed on the roof of the church and escaped their pursuers. They went a little further, jumped from roof to roof to leave them behind as much as possible, before they took a break. „Hey, wait for me!", called Aerith, who's pretty much fallen behind. „Do not leave me alone!" She caught up and when she stopped next to Cloud she took some deep breaths. „Why are the Turks after you?", asked Cloud and came straight to the point. „Turks?"

„This guy from before."

„Uh...no idea..." Cloud thought for a while. „The Turks are usually responsible for hiring people for SOLDIER, or for dirty work such as kidnapping or playing bodyguard.", he muttered to himself. „Maybe I have what it takes to become a SOLDIER?", joked Aerith and giggled, while Cloud looked at her amused. „Would you like to join?"

„No, I do not think so."

„Besides...", began Cloud. He couldn't help but smile a little bit. „The way how you jumped on the roofs...I don't think they're after you because of this."

„Oh, you're terrible!", she scolded and pretended as if she was mad at him and pushed him a little. Cloud stood firmly in place and seemed he didn't even notice her shove. Then the two began to laugh. Cloud didn't even remember when was the last time he'd laughed so much. It probably was already at least one or two years ago. „Let's get going.", said Cloud and held out his hand to help her to the next roof. Aerith nodded and took his hand, while she smiled like a Cheshire cat. After a few meters, the two had solid ground under their feet and there was no trace of the Turks. „Which way now?", asked Cloud while Aerith took the lead. „This way." Cloud followed her and after a few minutes, they finally arrived Aeriths house. Her house was like nothing else. It had a large garden full of different flowers, and looked just beautiful. „Will you come in?", asked Aerith.

_I should go back..._, thought Cloud. _I have to show them that I'm still alive._ „Yeah.", said Cloud and his eyes widened. That's not what he wanted to say! Aerith smiled happily and went into the house, followed by Cloud. „Mom! I'm back!", she called. Cloud was a bit disappointed, as she called her mother. He'd hoped that they could be alone...Then Aeriths mother came down the stairs. „Welcome back dear." she said, then looked at Cloud in surprise. „And who's that?" Before Cloud could say anything at all Aerith spoke. „This is Cloud. He's my new bodyguard."

„Bodyguard? Don't tell me you were persecuted by the Turks again.", said Elmyra anxiously, while Aerith smiled innocently. „They were in the Church today. But Cloud was there and protected me.", she said, while smiling at her mother. Elmyra looked suspiciously at Cloud before she thanked him for his help. „So and what are you going to do now?", asked Aerith the blonde, and leaned toward him. „I need to go to Sector 7. To Tifa's bar."

„Is Tifa...a girl?" Cloud nodded at her question. „...Is she your girlfriend?"

„No, we are just childhood friends."

„Oh. Shall I take you to Sector 7?"

„No, that's not necessary..."

„Already resolved. Mom, I'll bring him to Sector 7." Before Aerith could leave the house, Elmyra held her back. „But Aerith it's way too..." As she saw Aeriths resolute expression, she sighed. „All right. You won't change you mind anyway...But at least go tomorrow." Cloud was about to say something, but Aerith cut him off. „Okay. I prepare everything then." Cloud didn't want to be rude and just agreed to. Before he followed Aerith upstairs, Elmyra asked him to go, before Aerith wakes up.

He would've done it anyway. He didn't want her to get involved in his battles. „Cloud! Come on!", called Aerith from upstairs. As he approached her, she showed him his room and after the two have talked a bit they went to sleep. Unfortunately, Cloud really fell asleep and was able to sneak out several hours later. But just as the passed market of Sector 5, he suddenly saw that Aerith was waiting for him. „You're up quite early.", she said, before Cloud could ask her what she's doing here. „Let's go."

„Wait!", said Cloud, as she was about to go. Aerith stopped and turned to face him. „You stay here. It's far too dangerous."

„Oh my God, whatever shall I do? Do you want to hear that from me? Come on!" And Aerith, once again, went ahead, while Cloud ran after her. „You really should stay home...". he began at once again, but just got a sigh of her in response. „I'm serious."

„Are you done?" And then Cloud went quiet. It doesn't make sense to argue with her...And so the two went together to Sector 7. As they arrived a playground Aerith asked him to take a short break. Cloud couldn't say no and so she and Cloud climbed onto the sliding board and talked. „Tell me, what rank did you have?", she asked Cloud who looked at her confused. „What do you mean?"

„Well at SOLDIER. Do you think I didn't know that? I can see it on your eyes."

„Oh...", was all Cloud could say. But how did she know that these gleaming eyes are the SOLDIER trademark? „So, what rank did you have?"

„1st Class.", he finally answered, while she paused for a moment. „ Just like him...", she mumbled to herself, but Cloud could hear it. „Like who?"

„My first boyfriend."

„Oh...", was all Cloud could say again. After a moment of silence he spoke again. „What was his name? Maybe I know him."

„Oh, that's not so important.", she replied, while smiling at him. Cloud didn't like it when she dodged his questions. „Were you...serious?", he asked instead, hoping to get a real answer this time. „No, I really liked him for a while." As a Cloud listened to her, he suddenly remembered what Zack told him as he described his girlfriend. Very sweet...beautiful eyes and a pink hair ribbon. „Was it Zack?" Aerith eyes widened slightly and she looked at him startled. „You know him?"

„We're best friends." Aerith looked down and nodded silently. „Yes, it was Zack."

„Why did you broke up?" Somehow it interested him why they'd been broken up their relationship. Zack wouldn't ever break up with her. Who would leave such a beauty like her? „I've often seen him flirting with other girls. I know it's just his way, but sometimes was quite annoying. Besides, someone who had so many girlfriends can't really love." _That sounds logical..._, thought cloud. „But I think Zack was serious with you. He constantly told me about you. As you broke up he was totally depressed." Aerith was silent a moment. vThat wasn't my intention. Are you trying to hook me up with him again?"

„No...I tell you just how he felt."

„Good. After all, we both have to go on a date, remember?", she said and grinned at him while Cloud blushed a bit and looked away. Shall he go out with her? With the ex-girlfriend of his best friend? Somehow it seems quite wrong to him...yet so right. After all, they're not together anymore. That means she's single again. On the other hand...Clouds thoughts were interrupted as his cell phone suddenly rang. He took it from his pants pocket and answered. „Yes?"

„Cloud! Are you okay?", exclaimed Tifa on the other end, and so loudly that Cloud had to keep his phone off his ear. „Yes, I'm okay.", he replied. „We were so worried about you! Why haven't you called and—hey!"

„Cloud! You have to come to the pillar Sector 7! Shin-Ra wants to destroy it! That would be the end of Sector 7!", said Lightning, who apparently had taken Tifas phone. „Are you two already there?", asked Cloud and stood up immediately. „Yes, Light and I've just came. Hurry up and help us!" Cloud hung up and tucked his phone back into his pocket. „I have to go to Sector 7 as fast as possible!" Aerith nodded and stood up, too. „I've listened to what they said. Why want Shin-Ra destroy the Sector?"

„Do not know...But we must stop them!" Cloud jumped off the sliding board and went to Sector 7 but stopped, as he heard that Aerith's following him. „You'll go home.", he said sternly. „Not this again! Come on!", she said and ran to said Sector. This little flower girl was so stubborn! But Cloud liked it somehow. He followed her met Lightning and Tifa at the pillar. „The Turks are already up there.", said Lightning and points to the pillar. „We have to stop them.", said Tifa and ran ahead, but was stopped by Lightning. „Wait!" Lightning didn't know how she could forget something so important. „Serah! We had to get her outta here!" Lightning was about to run to her house, but was held back by Cloud. „Come with us, we have a better chance with you."

„But—!"

„Aerith will go and save Serah." The two turned to Aerith. Aerith nodded and looked at the two confidently. „I'll get her out of here. Where do I have to go? And how does she looks?" Lightning told her everything and then Aerith ran to Lightnings house as fast as she could, while Lightning, Cloud and Tifa ran up the stairs of the pillar and defeated some SOLDIER on their way up. At the top they saw a red-headed Turk, who had just placed the bomb. „Hey you!", called Lightning and took her Gunblade. „Stop this!"

„Too late.", he said, and pressed a button. „The countdown has begun already." Then a helicopter approached them, to pick him up. „Adios!" Instantly Lightning, Cloud and Tifa rushed to the bomb. „Can you defuse it?", asked Tifa, as Lightning inspected the bomb. „Is not easy...but I'll try." The former GC soldier pushed on some button until she sighed resignedly. „This isn't working...And even if I'm able to defuse it, I'm sure that this Turk has a remote detonator.", said Lightning and looked at her comrades.

„Damn! And what shall we do now?", asked Cloud. „We have no other choice but to flee.", said Tifa and looked down. This defeat was really hard to cope with...Just because of them the entire Sector will be destroyed! Just because of only 3 resistance fighters! „Yes...And I think we should leave Midgar. They'll know for sure that we survived and gona track us down.", suggested Lightning, while the three searched for a quick exit. „Yeah, but first we have to get out of here. Lightning, how much time do we have left?", said Cloud. „Thirty seconds." Then Cloud discovered a kind of pulley system in which they could safely swing directly out of the Sector. „I got it! Hold on to me!"

The two girls did what they were told and Cloud immediately swung with them out of the Sector and made it just in time, before the plate collapsed. They landed pretty hard on the ground and through the shock that Shin-Ra really destroyed the pillar, they had to gather their strength again, before they got up and made a sort of crisis meeting. „The've really done it!", said Tifa, still in shock, while staring at the destroyed Sector 7.

„Sure. That suits Shin-Ra to destroy a whole sector with to eliminate three guys.", said Lightning in an emotionless tone and folded her arms over her chest. „I just hope Serah's safe..."  
„I'm sure. I'm sure that Aerith has brought her to her home. Let's go there and check it out." Tifa and Lightning nodded before they went to the house with lots of flowers. „Who's this Aerith anyway?", asked Tifa. „A flower girl.", said Cloud. "I've met her before we killed the first reactor. And...I kinda became...her bodyguard."

„Bodyguard? And how much will she pay you for this?", said Lightning and raised an eyebrow. „Uh...a date." The two girls were silent. Cloud wanted them to laugh, or to tell him what a stupid idea this is, but they said nothing. Once there, they were welcomed by Elmyra. She told them that Aerith brought two girls here and went upstairs with them; one of them looked just like Lightning. As if stung by a tarantula Lightning ran upstairs and was immediately greeted by her little sister with a bone-breaking hug. Vanille was there too and hugged Lightning as well. „Are you alright?", asked Lightning, as they let go of her. „Yes, everything's okay.", replied Serah. „But why did they destroy the sector?"

„I think it's because of us...they just wanted me, Cloud and Tifa.", she replied, while looking down. „Why?", asked Vanille confused. „You haven't done anything...right?" Lightning glanced at Aerith, who was at the other end of the room and heard everything. She noticed her gaze and walked towards the door. „I'll go downstairs.", she said with a smile. When she was outside and closed the door, Lightning turned back to Serah and Vanille. „We've destroyed Mako Reactor 5.", she said, and judging from her serious expression it wasn't a joke. „YOU did that? But...I've heard it was Avalanche..."

„We ARE Avalanche." That shocked Serah deeply. Her own sister always lied to her , as she asked her what she's doing on her job. „Why haven't you told me?"

„I just wanted to leave you out of this." Serah expected this answer, she already thought that Lightning doesn't want her little sister to get involved in her battles. „What you gonna now?", asked Vanille to bridge this embarrassing moment. „We have to leave Midgar."

„ And where are you going?", asked Serah, still shocked. „As far as possible. They'll find us here too fast, or even destroy the whole Midgar to finally catch us, who knows."

„Then I'm coming with you!", said Serah quickly. „No. You'll stay here."

„But—!"

„Serah!", interrupted Lightning. „It's too dangerous! I don't want you to get involved!"

„You've promised to protect me, remember?"

„Of course I remember, but—"

„How are you going to do it, when you're far away? And Shin-Ra could mistake me with you Lightning." Lightning sighed resignedly. Why the hell does she has to be so right? „Alright then...", said the older Farron with a sigh. „Come with me, but you stay close to me, okay?"

„Of course! Thank you, Light!", said Serah overjoyed and embraced her sister again. „I'm coming with you too.", said Vanille. „There's a place where I need to go." Lightning was silent for a moment before she nodded. Vanill3 was just as Serah. When she wants something she argues as much as it takes to get it. The three girls went down and could hear a similar discussion between Aerith and Cloud. „Aerith, I don't want involved!"

„Come on Cloud! Let me go with you! I'm accustomed to danger!", argued Aerith. „Let her come with us, what's the big deal?", asked Tifa, who probably became friends with Aerith in this short time. „Cloud.", began Elmyra and interrupted the discussion. „It's better when Aerith goes with you. She has be as far away from Shin-Ra as possible." That reminded Cloud of the small chase in the church. „Why is Shin-Ra after her?"

„She didn't tell you?" Cloud shook his head. „No." Aerith said nothing and just looked at Elmyra, to tell her that she can tell them. Then Elmyra explained that Aerith's a Cetra. Cetra have a special connection to the planet and can talk to him and the souls in the life stream. They also can heal without Materia. And since she's the last Cetra, Shin-Ra is after her. „It would be safer for her if she goes with you.", finished Elmyra. „Alright then..."

„You better leave as well.", said Lightning to Elmyra. „ Midgar's also not safe for you anymore." Elmyra nodded. After the group decided to go to Kalm first, they headed out. As they all walked together through the grasslands, no one noticed that they're being watched from afar...

**A.N.** Soo~ that was chappy 2. PLEASE REVIEW! I wanna know if you like this story.


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